Civilian Border Patrol: Vigilantes or Concerned Citizens

 

 

Jeff Bunge

Student

University of Denver

Geog 3930

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The simple truth is that we've lost control of our own borders, and no nation can do that and survive. We ignore America's lost sovereignty at our peril."  Nearly two decades ago former president Ronald Reagan’s statement still holds true today in some peoples eyes.  As negative public opinion of the Border Patrol’s ability to control illegal entry into the United States continues to surge, more and more civilian border patrol groups are uniting to fight against illegal immigration. Some civilians will use any means necessary to stop illegal immigration making civilian border patrols a hot topic.

Every day property and business owners living along the United States / Mexico border are forced to address the problems that the millions of illegal aliens cause as they cross illegally into the United States each year.  On average each illegal alien drops approximately eight pounds of trash while entering the United States illegally (www.wooldridge).  They discard backpacks, empty drink containers, clothes, and plastic bags.  This affects everyone paying taxes because revenue is allocated for cleaning up after illegal aliens.  Ranchers suffer when illegal aliens cut their fences to cross their private property.  This can cause cattle and horses to get loose and also adds the additional expense of replacing and repairing fences.  Some cows eat the plastic bags dropped along the entry routes and then the cow must be destroyed because the plastic becomes lodged between the first and second stomachs (Barlett & Steel).  Some immigrants steal vehicles and saddles.  They even poison watchdogs to keep them quiet and drain water tanks.  Ranchers report that they work an equivalent of two to three weeks a year repairing fences and picking up garbage left by illegal aliens (Barlett & Steel).  One rancher reported that the cost of constant repairs has run into tens of thousands of dollars (Custard).  Everywhere there are piles of trash:  diapers, feces, toilet paper and food wrappers.  All of the litter marring the countryside serves as visual proof of a mass migration of people into the United States.

                                                                                                                                                                       

                     During a recent trip along the United States / Mexico Border we found many instances of the trash left behind by migrants.

 

The cost and bother of constant trespassers and the fear of theft and burglary have meant that individuals are compelled to carry arms and groups have formed to combat the problems caused by illegal immigrants. Civilian border patrols have decided to take the problem into their own hands.  They are dissatisfied with the results of the border patrol efforts and feel if something is to be done it is up to them to do it.  Civilian border patrol groups range from the vigilantes or radical civilian border patrol to the organizers of the minutemen project.  The minutemen project seeks to draw national attention and pressure the government to aggressively monitor the United States / Mexico border.  All civilian border patrols share a common goal of enforcing their subjective beliefs on the border region.

“Any time someone takes the law in their own hands, it puts everyone at risk,” stated U.S. Attorney Paul Charlton.  This quote refers to the many individuals doing just that along the United States / Mexico border.  Vigilantes along the United States / Mexico border capture and sometimes injure or kill migrants who cross into the United States illegally. 

Citizen groups can be found along the border from Texas to California, with the greatest concentration in Arizona (www.vigilantism).  One group patrolling the border is the Civil Homeland Defense.  They are an armed group aimed at detaining illegal aliens from Mexico coming into Arizona.  “We better be glad we have them because they keep the government in check,” proclaimed one of the group members (www.rtfcam.com).  This quote shows the distrust these vigilantes have in the ability of the government to handle the problem. 

Another civilian group called “Ranch Rescue” recruit members to “help ranchers on the Arizona/Mexican border cope with the damage to their property caused by thousands of criminal trespassers.”   Ranch Rescue came from Texas to protect private property being invaded by illegal immigrants from Mexico (www.kold.com).   The group claims they are forced to do work that the border patrol refuses to do.  For years, they advertised “Fun in the Sun” and “Easter Hunts,” urging people to park RVs on a ranch near the border and go on armed searches for migrants (www.pww.org).   One of the members of Ranch Rescue was arrested for assault after pistol whipping and holding an El Salvadoran couple against their will in March 2003.  This is only one of the numerous incidents this group has had with law officials.  It appears that these radical civilian organizations are violating U.S. laws rather than helping deter illegal aliens from entering into the United States from Mexico. 

(Mexican migrant worker believed lynched by Anglo vigilantes.  Found at http://www.aztlan.net/confrontspencer.htm)

 

The ranch rescue group has also made claims of Mexican soldiers opening fire on a position that was vacated by group volunteers patrolling private property near Douglas, Arizona.  Incidents of Mexican troops crossing the international border are nothing new say Border Patrol Agents (www.NewsMax.com).  Tom Tancredo, a republican from Colorado who is head of the house of immigration reform caucus, says “115 incursions by Mexican military and police have been documented by the United States government since 1996.”  Concern is mounting that civilian border patrols could cause an international incident by taking matters into their own hands and firing on Mexican police or other Mexican officials along the border.

An immigrant named Juan Porras, who is a native of Chihuahua, waited four days to cross the border.  He spoke about the vigilantes groups, “They have bullets, they’re not playing; they’re going to kill.”  He was scared but he was determined to continue trying to cross the border because he had a construction job lined up in Phoenix (www.Rense.com).  It appears that the efforts of the vigilantes groups have not been effective as illegals are still coming across in record numbers.    

Some civilian groups along the border are law abiding individuals working with the border patrol authorities and their efforts deserve our respect.  The mission of the Civil Homeland Defenses Corps is to report suspicious or illegal activities to authorities and deter, by legal means, illegal aliens, drug traffickers, and terrorists entering the United States by physical presence along the United States / Mexico border.  Civil Homeland Defense Corp volunteers have recorded 3,871 peaceful, non-violent assists while working with border Patrol and Customs agents of people illegally crossing our border with Mexico since November of 2002 (www.mission).  This group is appealing to taxpayers for support as they volunteer in aiding to deter illegal aliens.  In 2002 alone, the total Immigration Naturalization Services budget for 2002 fiscal year was 5.5 billion- more than triple what it was in 1993 (Cornelius pg 1).

Border patrol agents, civilian border patrols, and now immigration advocacy groups are involved in the hunt for illegal immigrants.  Civilian volunteers for the Pro-immigrant Border Action Network are searching for any undocumented migrants who have been harassed by armed civilian groups patrolling the border (www.cnn.com).  This group disagrees with the tactics used by vigilante groups claiming they are acting outside of the law.  This group wants to put pressure on the government to intervene and prosecute the vigilantes.  This is a quote from one civil rights attorney, “The purpose of the lawsuits are to get at their pocketbook.  Our purpose is to bankrupt these individuals so that they stop their actions (www.cnn.com).”  These groups are aimed at stopping groups such as the Ranch Rescue group.

As over 4,000 people illegally cross into Arizona daily, overwhelming the border patrol and border communities, new solutions to deal with the problems are needed (Barlett & Steele).  Despite the Homeland Security measures put in place by President Bush, it is still easy to get into the United States.  Some ranchers along America’s border with Mexico call it an invasion.  “No longer were the migrants’ just men looking for work; now there were women and children as well, as whole families illegally crossing and streaming north.  That’s when I realized it was an invasion,” claimed one rancher (www.vdare.com).

Homemade roadsign outside of Douglas,Arizona  Citizens put up home-made billboards along the road to Douglas, Arizona (photo courtesy of American Patrol and Bob Park)

 

After driving over three thousand one hundred miles from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, California along the United State / Mexico border I have formed my own opinions about the border, including civilian border patrol.  The border patrol agents seem to understand that they cannot catch all of the illegal aliens.  The sergeant at the McAllen Border Patrol sector used an analogy about their job of catching illegal aliens to fishing.  “You don’t know how many fish are out in the sea or where they are at.”  Considering this relaxed view on apprehending illegal aliens it may be time that civilians step up to prevent illegal aliens from crossing into the United States.  It may be appropriate for civilians to take action, but the action taken must be without the use of weapons, cruelty or breaking laws.

Civilian patrols can have a positive impact on the United States / Mexico border region if they respect the human rights of the migrants crossing into our country.  Although some illegal immigrants leave trash, steal, ruin fences, and traffic the drugs many Americans abuse, it does not justify shooting or torturing an illegal alien who is simply in search of a better life.  

A solution to this complex problem has not been found.  The rise of armed vigilantism has increased hatred and terror along the border, while doing nothing to solve legitimate problems.  These acts promote a culture of lawlessness and add to feelings of hostility on both sides.  It does not solve the problems along the United States / Mexico border.   It will only be through working together with both the Mexican and United States governments and their citizens that workable solutions to the problems of illegal immigration will be resolved. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

 

 

Groups to tackle civilian border patrol. 31 Dec 04

<http://www.CNN.com>.

 

Illegal Immigration Quagmire of Filth across the desert. 30 Dec. 04
<http://frostywooldridge.com/>.

 

Vigilantism, an extreme response.  30 December 04 <http://www.lawg.org/countries/mexico/border-deaths3.htm>.   

 

U.S. / Mexico Border: Armed groups patrol southern Arizona. 30 Dec. 04  <http://www.rtfcam.org/report/volume_23/No_1/article_6.htm>. 

 

Dougherty, Jon.  Mexican Troops Fire on U.S. Border Watchers.  1 Jan 05. 

<http://newsmax.com>

 

No Title.  2 Jan 05.

<http:/kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=1004073&nav=14RCGEp>.

 

Foster, Bud. Special Report: Armed Civilian Groups Patrol Border.

 

Cornelius, Wayne.  Death at the Border Efficacy and Unintended Consequences of US Immigration Control Policy.  Pg 661-685.

 

Mission of the Civil Homeland.  30 Dec 04.

<http://www.civilhomelanddefense.us%2F Defense Corps>

 

<http://Rense.com>

 

<http://VDare.com>

 

Donald L. Barlett & James B. Steele.  Time Magazine Septemeber 20,2004.  Who Left the Door Open?  Pg 51-62.